‘PPP not taken into confidence on Army Act amendment bill’

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Faisal Karim Kundi said on Thursday that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was not taken into confidence on Army Act amendment bill by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), ARY News reported.

The PPP Information Secretary and State Minister Faisal Karim Kundi said that Raza Rabbani walked out of the parliament’s session in protest against the Army Act amendment bill.

He said that PML-N introduced the bill to the parliament without taking PPP into confidence.

Kundi said that PPP is not in favour of giving additional powers to the caretaker set-up equivalent to an elected government. “Caretaker set-up has only one responsibility to conduct elections.”

He confirmed that PPP and PML-N committees have shared five names each for the caretaker prime minister (PM). “Caretaker PM will be appointed after consultations with the coalition parties.”

READ: Raza Rabbani opposes Army Act Amendment bill

Earlier in the day, the Senate passed a bill proposing amendments to the Pakistan Army Act 1952.

The bill was moved by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and was rushed through without being referred to a standing committee.

The bill includes a section regarding punishment for defaming army to two years and a fine.

The bill

According to the contents of the bill, unauthorized disclosure of information obtained in the interest of national security and interest in the official capacity will be severely punished for up to five years, the disclosure with the permission of the Army Chief or the empowered officer will not be punished.

The bill also said that officials that fall under the law will not be able to participate in political activities within two years of retirement, resignation or dismissal.

According to the bill, a person involved in electronic crime, whose purpose is to defame the Pakistan Army, will be prosecuted under electronic crime.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani opposed the bill and walkout from the upper house in protest. Raza Rabbani said that the Army Act Amendment Bill should be sent to the concerned Standing Committee.

“We were not provided even copies of the bill that just sailed through Senate,” he said and marked the day as black in the history of Pakistan’s parliament.

Senators from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also walked out of the proceedings.

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